From backup to starting quarterback, “Mox” was able to inspire all of his West Canaan teammates.

West Canaan Coyotes on front.

Moxon 4 on back.

In Varsity Blues, Jonathan “Mox” Moxon (James Van Der Beek) is an intelligent and academically gifted backup quarterback for the West Canaan High School football team. Despite his relative popularity at school, easy friendships with other players, and smart and sassy girlfriend Jules Harbor (Amy Smart), he is dissatisfied with his life. He wants to leave Texas to go to school at Brown University. He is constantly at odds with his football-obsessed father, Sam (Thomas F. Duffy), and dreads playing it under legendary coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight), a verbally abusive, controlling authority who believes in winning “at all costs”. He has a strong track record as coach, remarking in a speech that “in my thirty years of coaching at West Canaan, I have brought two state titles, and 22 district championships!” His philosophy finally takes its toll on quarterback, Lance Harbor (Paul Walker), Mox’s best friend and Jules’ brother who has earned a full scholarship to play for Florida State. He is manipulated into taking anesthetic shots into an injured knee that finally succumbs to failure and results in even greater injury during gameplay. He is rushed to the hospital, where doctors are appalled at the massive amount of scar tissue found under his knee.

Mox, who has accompanied Lance to the hospital, is shocked when Bud feigns ignorance to Lance’s doctors about his knee problems, when in fact Bud ordered the trainer to inject the shots. In need of a new quarterback, he reluctantly names Mox to replace Lance as captain and starting quarterback. The move brings unexpected dividends for him, one of them being Darcy Sears (Ali Larter), Lance’s beautiful blonde cheerleader girlfriend, who is interested in marrying a football player in order to escape small-town life. She even goes so far as to attempt to seduce Mox, sporting a “bikini” made of whipped cream over her otherwise naked body, but he rebuffs her as gently as he can.

Disgusted with Bud and not feeling a strong need to win, Mox starts calling his own plays on the field without Bud’s approval. He also chides Sam, screaming at him, “I don’t want your life!” He had been a football player at West Caanan, and although Bud dismissed him for lacking talent and courage, he still respected and obeyed him. When Bud becomes aware that Mox has won a full scholarship to Brown, he threatens him that if he continues to disobey and disrespect him, he will alter his transcripts in order to reverse the decision on his scholarship.

Bud’s lack of concern for players continues, resulting in a dramatic collapse of Billy Bob (Ron Lester). When Wendell Brown (Eliel Swinton), another friend of Mox’s, is injured on the field during the final game of the season, Bud pressures him to take a shot of cortisone to deaden the pain from his injury, allowing him to continue even in the face of a permanent injury. Desperate to be recruited by a good college, he grants his consent. At this moment, Mox tells Bud he’ll quit the team if the needle enters Wendell’s knee. Undaunted, he orders Charlie Tweeder (Scott Caan), a friend of both Mox and Wendell, to replace Mox, but he refuses. Mox tells Bud that the only way they will return to the field is without him. Realizing that he will be forced to forfeit the game, he loses control and physically assaults Mox. The other players intercede and then refuse to take to the field. Knowing his loss of control has cost him his credibility, Bud tries in vain to rally support and spark the team’s spirit into trusting him, but none of the players follow him out of the locker room. He continues down the hall, and seeing no one following him, he turns the other direction and into his office. After a rallying speech from Mox the team instead takes the field under the leadership of Lance, replacing Bud as coach for the second half, and manage to win the game.

In a voice-over epilogue, Mox recounts several characters’ aftermaths, including the fact that Bud left town and never coached again, Lance became a successful coach, and Mox did enter Brown University. (Wikipedia)

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